A Feeling
by OneRogueAngel
Summary: Happily Ever After, three words that should have summed up Sophie's life at Howl's castle, but a feeling is holding her back. As feelings colide into winding emoction, who could say what the outcome would be. SophiexHowl
1. Chapter 1 A Feeling

Chapter 1 – A Feeling

In a far away land, the outline of a young man could be seen by the large heath of the fire. To the normal passerby, the light build of the man could have easily been overlooked. He seemed to be nothing but a colored statue, the only movement coming from him the occasional blink of his eyes. After sitting there silently, staring at the fire intently, he sighed loudly, seeming to shake himself from his reverie.

"What is troubling you, young prince," a man standing halfway in shadow asked from the corner of the room.

"Oh, nothing. I was just letting my mind wander," the prince replied, not looking at the person speaking to him and returned to his soft vigil near the fire.

"A mind that wonders is one that's heart is lost," the man replied mystically.

"Maybe…"

"Tell me, where is it that your mind has been wandering to? It has not been one day since you returned to us that you have not been less aware of your surroundings, always falling silent and receding into your thoughts. It seems as if we have still lost you; that some part of you is still cursed"

"This may be true," the young man whispered to himself. It was true; he was not the same man he was before. He was changed so many months ago. Yet, as he looked back at the experience, he did not regard it as something displeasing. No, the more he thought about it; it seemed that he had quite enjoyed himself there with those strange people. He could not help but have his mind still wonder there, like if he tried hard enough, he would find himself back at that lofty house, back with her once more.

Her.

To tell the truth, she was the reason that he wanted to return. She had been his true love, breaking the curse with only one kiss on the lips. "Hearts change," he had said, and yet the more he thought about it, the more it seemed absurd; the more he wanted to leave this dreadful place and see how she was doing. If anything bad had happened to her, he did not know what he would do.

Suddenly turning towards the man in the corner, the prince answered, "to that castle, the one I stayed at during my imprisonment." Then he let out another heavy sigh, looking down while he twiddled his thumbs. "If only I could see how they are doing: Sophie and that little boy that was the wizard's apprentice."

At the sound of a wizard, the man in the corner raised his head a little, paying more attention to the prince's ramblings. However, he knew that he had to play his cards wisely, least he give anything away.

"You could always visit them again, as long as this wizard is not any threat to your well being."

"Who, Howl?" the young man asked, "no, not at all. He is a friend and should not be feared."

"Well then, if he is no threat, what is stopping you? Do you still remember where he lives?"

The young man nodded, remembering that small hat shop that held the portal to their home. But what _was_ stopping him? That was the real issue here. Maybe it was the fact that things would be different between him and Sophie. He was now back to his normal form, not the silly form of a mere scare-crow. In truth, he did not know what she would think of him now.

"Now, I guess it's settled then. I'll tell your servants to pack the necessary equipment for your trip and you'll be off in the morning," the man said as he raised himself from his seat in the corner and started to walk out the door.

"Wait," the prince got to his feet, "won't you come with me. I do not wish to make the journey alone, and you being so well read with magic could protect me if someone tries to put a curse on me again."

The man smiled a little as he bowed his head in agreement.

"Whatever you wish, Prince Justin."

Sometimes his magic did have its advantages.

………

Sophie let out a staggered cry as she was pulled awake from her slumber. She quickly sat up, eyes wide and unblinking, trying to make out what was the cause for this eerie feeling she felt in the pit of her gut.

It was strange, as if a sense that something was horribly wrong, yet she could not find anything out of place. The war had been over for almost a year now. Madame Suliman's henchman seemed to have stopped looking for them, and everything could not be better. Both curses where broken, and she could finally be with the man she loved.

"_So what is this feeling_" Sophie thought to herself. A quick glance out the window showed that dawn was still a few hours off and for a castle that is loosely held together by magic alone as well as flying in midair, it was surprisingly quiet.

"Sophie…" Howl yawned next to her.

"Oh, I'm sorry, did I wake you?" Sophie staggered.

"Sophie, what's wrong? Why are you up at this hour?" She could tell he was still tired, yet Howl attempted to raise himself into a half-sitting position, staring at her with droopy, concerned eyes. He had been out all day, returning only in time for supper. It was amazing how he could find himself so busy when the land was at peace again. Yet, as Markl kept reminding her, this was just the thing Howl did.

"Howl…tell me, do you sense anything strange?" she asked in a small voice.

"What do you mean by strange?" he asked, now more awake.

"I don't know, I just can't shake off this feeling of dread. It feels as if something really bad is about to happen."

At this his gaze softened. Pulling her into the shelter of his arms, Howl whispered into her ear, "Sophie, love, you know that I would never let anything bad happen to you. I'm here now. It must have been a bad dream, that's all." He slowly released her enough to look into her large, fearful eyes.

He could still see that she was worried and that alone troubled him above anything else. Though Sophie did not have the same magic skills as he, Howl still knew well enough to trust her instincts. She _was _the one who had figured out how to return his heart and all. Though now, as he looked past her bright eyes to look into her soul, he could see nothing but worry.

And Sophie was afraid, afraid that something would happen and she would loose Howl forever. He had barley come out alive last time; she did not know what she would do if she lost him. Howl was the only person that made her feel special, made her feel loved. He was so caring and sweet that she did not care that he could be childish now and then or would leave for days at a time without an inkling of when he would return. Sophie loved Howl with all her heart, faults and all, and she did not know how she could live without him.

"Look, how about in the morning I renew the protective spells around the castle and put up a few more barriers. Would that ease your mind a little?" She nodded her head slightly.

"Thank you, Howl."

Howl gently lifted her chin and leaned his head down to kiss her reassuringly on the lips, calming her down some. She returned his kiss passionately, never wanting it to stop. She loved the way he made her feel when he kissed her, like the whole world fell away and there was only them. As if nothing else mattered but their loving embrace. She also felt safer here, like nothing in the world could ever harm her as long as Howl was there with her. She knew that he would never let anything happen to her, that he truly did love her with all his heart, (a child's heart as it may be) and this seemed to make her feel better.

Sophie tried to stifle her yawn as they broke apart; reminding them both of what a late hour it truly was. They both needed to be well rested for tomorrow and whatever it brought along with it.

Sophie's hand reached out to caress his cheek, moving her fingers softly over his skin. Without even noticing it, she found herself smiling up at him. Even though Howl was exhausted to the bone, he still had enough energy to worry about her.

Without any more words, Sophie gave Howl one more kiss goodnight and then motioned for them to go back to sleep. They quietly settled down. Sophie nestled into the crook of Howl's body, his arms firmly wrapped around her.

Yet, even with Howl's warm body wrapped protectively around hers, somewhere, in the depths of her soul, Sophie still could not shake off the feelings she could not name as they danced through he subconscious and into her dreams.

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**Hey, hoped you liked it. This is my first fic, so please be gentle.**

**I'll warn you right now, I am a terribly horrible speller and if there are any mistakes, please fill free to tell me and I'll try to fix them. I do use spell-check, however it seems to take on a life of its own sometimes…**

**Thank you so much for reading this and would love to hear what you think.**

**On a final note, before I bore you to death, I am sad to say that I do not own any part of the HMC universe. There, said it, now don't kill me!**

**Hope to see u soon,**

**Signed, **

**OneRogueAngel**


	2. Chapter 2 Longing

**Chapter 2 – Longing**

Howl woke up a little before dawn, Sophie still tucked under his arm. For a moment, he just lay there, fully content to burry his face in her soft, starlit hair and loose himself in her soft aroma. Gently, he raised his head, staring at his love intently.

She seemed so beautiful to him there, like a sleeping angel with hair as magnificent as the stars themselves. He did not even know how he could even disserve anyone as good as Sophie. She was such a wonder to him, always being so modest and kind. It was still a marvel to him that she could believe herself to be nothing special.

He let out a sigh. "Maybe she'll finally see it with time," he thought to himself. If not, then he sure as hell would make her see. If only she could see herself through his eyes, through anyone else's eyes for that matter. Then she could fully appreciate what a miracle she really was.

Howl slowly shook his head, knowing this train of thought would get him nowhere, much less out the door and ready for the next day. On some level, Howl knew that he had to get up, but just as every other day, he found it hard to leave. Leaning down slowly, lest he wake her, Howl brushed a kiss on her soft, inviting lips one last time to hold him over and started to get ready.

A few minutes later, Howl turned the corner of the stairs to find a sleeping Calcifer snoring loudly from his spot at the hearth. Taking the poker from next to the fire, Howl jabbed the sleepy fire-demon awake, large cast-iron pan already in hand.

"Huh? What? Who's there?" Calcifer grumbled, awaking with a start. After blinking a few times, he finally realized it was Howl that had awoken him and uttered a sound of annoyance.

"Not again, why do you always have to get up so darn early, Howl? Right when I was getting to the good part, too."

"Really, Calcifer, and what _is _it that you dream about?" Howl asked in a light tone, a small spark in his eyes.

To this, Calcifer merely sat there for a moment, looking him over from head to toe. Then he rolled over another piece of firewood and seemed content to just cling to it there. "You know, it really is scary how much of a morning person you are," he replied slowly, "and who said that I would share my dreams with you anyway? Who do you take me for? Now what do you want at this hour, and don't you tell me to warm your bath or else—hey, are you _even_ listening? Howl? _Howl!_" Calcifer bellowed at him, but Howl seemed oblivious, ignoring the grumpy fire-demon intently.

Walking over to the front door, Howl gently touched the doorframe and uttered something under his breath. At once, the door then sprang to life, symbols of various size and origin flaring with a new intensity across its whole expanse. Then, with a wave of his hand, the symbols shimmered, moving excitedly back and forth, and then disappeared without a trace. He then walked over to the windows and did the same, the glass giving off a mixture of colors that any rainbow would have been envious of.

Seeming content with his work, Howl then turned back to Calcifer and collapsed into his normal chair near the hearth.

"What was that for," Calcifer asked, eyeing the protective spells still glowing silently on the door, "did you invite anyone particularly nasty today without my knowing?"

Howl just shrugged at this. "I'm not expecting anyone, but it's just this feeling; it's like the air is heaver than normal, laden with the feeling of anticipation."

"It must be a pretty bad feeling if it made you check the barriers."

"Well, I was not the only one who felt it," Howl said reluctantly, "Sophie felt it too. She was the one that made me renew the protective spells. For some reason, she seemed really worried about something."

"Hmm," he replied, clearly picking his words wisely, "could it be whatever it is that you have been working on with _her_ each and every day, by chance?"

"Of course not," Howl said as he raised his eyes to stare at Calcifer, a flare of anger in his voice "Who do you take me for. Do you actually believe that I would do anything with my magic that would cause Sophie distress? I would never!"

"Well, I still don't think that it's such a good idea to keep it from her, though," Calcifer answered in a non-threatening tone, holding his hands out in surrender. The one thing he did not want to do was unleash Howl's anger upon him. Now that Howl was no longer attached to Calcifer by his heart, who knew what he would do to the fire demon if he got on his bad side. Calcifer did not want to find out.

"I know," Howl sighed, letting his anger fly away in an instant, he sank back into the chair, shoulders slumped. "I just don't want to trouble her with this."

"And you don't think that she'll understand and want to know what your doing? You know, I just don't get you sometimes, Howl. You look half dead, spending all your waking hours donating your services to _her_ while you'd rather be here with Sophie, and don't deny it, either, I can see it in your eyes. Why don't you just stay home for once; who cares what will happen. Just take a day off and be happy for once."

"You know I can't do that," Howl said reluctantly, as if trying to convince himself more than Calcifer. In truth, he would like nothing better than to just take the day off and relax. He was still tired, and the thought of spending the day with Sophie was extremely tempting. However, he knew he could not just blow off his responsibilities. People where counting on him and if he did not go, the consequences could be dire.

Howl raised himself from the chair and started the motions of making his breakfast, taking the pan and attempting to put it over Calcifer. Yet, the fire demon had other ideas.

"Hey, wait, I'm still not finished yet," Calcifer grumbled, fighting with the pan to make it almost impossible for Howl to cook.

Howl narrowed his gaze at him, making Calcifer's flame shrink a little in size.

"Alright, one more question, then I really should get moving. Not only that, but you will do what I ask without complaint from now on, agreed?" Howl took the pan off the struggling demon and crossed his arms over his chest, staring down at Calcifer.

"Agreed. But I won't like it, mind you. One last question then…" Calcifer seemed to have to think about what he wanted to ask. Then, seeming to have found one, he looked up at Howl, a malicious glint in his eye. "So Howl, why is it that even though you are crazy about Sophie, and know that she feels the same for you, why is it that you still have not asked her to marry you?"

In truth, this was not what he was expecting. Howl's complexion paled noticeably as he averted his eyes, staring intently at the spotless, hardwood floors.

"Why do I have to explain my love life to you, anyway?"

"Because _I_ was the one who had to deal with your feelings for Sophie before. Not to mention that you promised to answer the one question so out with it, then you can be on your way."

Well, he got him there. If he did not satisfy the demon's curiosity now then he would never get his breakfast ready, not to mention he would never hear the end of it, either. Truthfully, he did not know why he had never asked Sophie to marry him. They both loved each other, anyone could see that. He knew there was no other woman he would ever want to marry other than Sophie, but there was always something holding him back. He had never really been the biggest fan of commitment. In truth, it scared him a bit. It was his nature to always be free, to not be held down by anything. He had spent so long protecting that air of freedom that he did not know for sure if he really could just give it all up that easily. That is, until Sophie came around, turning his whole world up-side down.

"Well, I'm waiting," Calcifer remarked impatiently, jarring Howl from his thoughts.

"Well…"

It was at that moment that there was movement upstairs. Within seconds, Sophie's small form could be seen slowly descending the stairs. She was wearing a pretty, midnight blue dress which complemented her slim figure nicely and made her brilliant hair shine into focus. Howl vaguely registered that this was one of the dresses he had given her. She looked so stunning there that Howl almost took Calcifer's offer to stay home.

Almost every morning, Howl tried to leave before anyone awoke, not wanting to have to answer to anyone or get caught up in goodbyes.

Now, because of Calcifer, he was not so lucky.

She was still yawning as she reached the bottom of the stairs that it took her a few minutes to realize that she was not alone. When she did, however, Sophie's soft brown eyes grew large in surprise.

"Howl?"

Sophie was so used to him not being there when she woke that she could not believe that he was still there. "Are you staying home today?"

The hint of hope in her voice was not helping his cause. How long had it been since he had just stayed home? He still had Markl's studies to attend to, and he was sure that Sophie could use some help around the castle.

"No, stop thinking about the 'ifs' and just go," he thought irritably, shaking his head silently. He could see her disappointment, but Sophie put on a warm smile and walked over to where he was standing.

"Well then, at least let me take this from you and I'll make a decent breakfast." With one more death glare form Calcifer, telling Howl that their conversation was not over, Sophie started to cook the eggs and bacon.

Howl turned his intention away from the fuming fire-demon and towards the small women next to him, feeling quite playful.

"And what is that supposed to imply, love?" Howl teased, raising an eyebrow in question. "I for one think that my cooking, just like everything else that I do, is superb. I did have to do all the cooking before you got here, and mind you, Markl never complained."

"And how you two survived, I do not know," she replied, trying to keep a strait face, though she was failing horribly.

"I'm hurt, truly hurt, Sophie." Sophie turned to grab another slice of bacon giving Howl the opportunity to set her with the full intensity of his large, full eyes, making her laugh all the harder.

"Oh shove off it!" she cried, lightly pushing him away with her free hand. "your going to make me burn breakfast."

"And then who would be the bad cook then, Sophie?" Howl grinned hugely, earning him a playful wack on the shoulder.

Smelling breakfast, Markl raced downstairs, Heen right on his tail. "Sophie, I—" he stopped dead when he spotted Howl, causing Heen to run right into him. "Master Howl."

"Maybe I have been gone too long. You look like you have just seen a ghost, Markl. Is it really that strange to see me here?" Howl chuckled to himself.

"You have been gone more than home lately, Howl" Sophie answered softly, the words hanging in the air. For a moment, only the sizzle of bacon could be heard, then Sophie sighed in aspiration and planted another smile on her face. "Breakfast is almost ready. One of you set the table, will you? Granny needs to be woken up too."

"I'll get the table," Howl offered before Markl could say otherwise. As Markl raced towards the Witch of the Waste's room, Sophie shot Howl a sideways look.

"What?" he asked innocently, as he got the plates out form the cupboard and placed them on the table.

Sophie shook her head in reprimand, a smile already spreading across her features. "Nothing."

"Hey, I can't help it. That lady still gives me the creeps." Howl mocked a shudder, a slight smile tugging at his mouth. Sophie's grin was just too contagious.

As if on cue, the customary "what a handsome man!" ran through the air, signifying the Witch of the Waste's entrance. Howl groaned dramatically as Sophie burst into another fit of giggles.

Breakfast was short and sweet, filled with laughter and warmth. However, like most of anything else, it ended too soon. Howl knew that he had already wasted too much time here and if he did not leave soon, he would never be able to muster up the will to leave.

"Well, I'd best be getting on my way," Howl announced, slowly raising himself from the table. He stopped to give Calcifer the leftovers of his eggs and went over to rinse his plate in the sink.

"You don't have to do that, you know," Sophie said from behind him. "I'll get it; just get going before your too late for whatever you do."

He turned around on his heals and pulled her, dirty plates and all, into a longing embrace, trying to put every ounce of love and hope for understanding into his hold. He buried his face into the nitch where her neck met her shoulder, breathing in deeply.

"Watch over yourself, now."

In one fluid motion, Howl letting her go and grabbed his coat. He covered the last few strides to the door and waved a slight farewell to the other's that made up his makeshift family. With a flick of his fingers, he turned the dial to the portal that lead to the hat shop. He swung the door open, his focus still on the people inside the castle, and almost collided with the one person that he would never have imagined.

"Seems like you have not changed one bit, Howl," Prince Justin said from the doorway, "Always running off in such a hurry."

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**So what did you think?**

**The long awaited second chapter. I hope it lived up to your expectations.**

**As always, thank you for reading and to those who reviewed, especially:**

**Death's Crow, Shrouded View, shiroi-miko, Dreamz, Khdd, W.i.t.c., -israelita-, dbzgtfan2004, lilly, yellowspotlight89, spirit of faith, couples lover!, cherryblossom64, and Napris.**

**Thank you all and I hope to hear from you in other chapters!**

**See you soon.**

**Signed**

**OneRogueAngel**


	3. Chapter 3 Jealousy

**Hello everybody!!**

**I know, I know, it is a little late, but this was not the easiest chapters to write and to tell you the truth, I think I totally hate the bloody thing. I had to re-right it three times until I could post it without feeling like I could never show my face on fanfiction again. **

**But you really don't care about that, so let's get on with who won the contest. Ok, so I had 2 people that had successfully read my mind and picked the right mystery women. And since it is lucky 7/7/07, I have decided to dedicate this chapter and the one that immediately follows it, chapter 4, which I just need to tweak a little here and there, to these two great people, (since they actually reviewed).**

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**THIS CHAPTER IS DEDICATED TO THE SHROUDED VIEW,**

Thank you so much for the reviews!

**Chapter 3- Jealousy**

"Turnip?" a shocked Sophie asked, taking a few steps forwared to stand behind Howl. "Is that really you?"

"Why of course, my dear Sophie. I did promise that I would return one day, did I not? And please, call me Justin."

Though he did not show it, Prince Justin was beaming inside. He had been looking forward to this moment for a very long time. It seemed to him that he was finally alive again, finally whole. He could not help but smile as he took in his surroundings, letting a warm rush of memories flood his mind. Everything seemed just the same as before he left, even down to the grumbling demon in the fireplace

Then there was the little matter of Howl, standing squarely in the doorway, instinctively blocking Sophie from him. Truthfully, Justin did not know how to explain his feelings towards the wizard. In truth, one could say that Howl had a hand in freeing him. There was never an instance where Howl ever treated him as an enemy either. Nevertheless, they were both after the same goal, a goal that was staring at him with big, surprised eyes. Sophie, the one who had broken his curse…

Suddenly, Justin's heart beat a little faster.

She was happy to see him….

She had missed him….

Maybe, just maybe she really could love him…

"I presume that you are no longer in need of my services, my Lord?" The man next to him asked, causing Prince Justin to jump. He had fully forgotten that he was even there. It seemed as if no one inside the castle noticed him either, for the shocked faces where now focused on the man next to him with a questioning glare.

"Oh, how very rude of me, this is my—traveling companion, William," Prince Justin hastily replied. Breaking away from the strange looks he was getting from the others, he turned toward William and nodded his head.

Finding this his chance to leave, William bowed a silent farewell and made haste away from the puzzling wizard's glare.

"William, eh," Howl said when the man was well out of earshot. He gave Justin a questioning glare, one eyebrow raised. Normally, Howl was very welcoming of strangers, yet today, after all the premonitions, he was not so forthcoming. Of course, being the prince's companion did not help this man's chances, either. Howl still remembered all too well the promise the prince had made on that ledge…

An awkward silence followed, the two men staring each other down. Finally, Justin cleared his throat, "Yes, well are we going to keep talking through the doorway or would you be so kind as to invite me in, Howl?"

"Of course we will, come in!"

Before Howl could say anything in protest, Sophie pushed past him and grabbing Justin's sleeve, pulled him inside. In no time at all, Sophie had offered him a seat, and after fussing about getting him something to eat, which he declined softly, Sophie sat across from him. Soon, both were immensed with the lively conversation that was underway.

With a small sigh, Howl closed the door and headed back to the table, plopping himself down next to Sophie. They continued their conversation without much of a general look in his direction. After awhile, Howl decided that he'd had enough; seeing just how comfortable Sophie was with Justin was making him sick. He met his young apprentice's stare.

"Markl, why don't you go open the shop. The customers will be arriving soon."

"Sure, Master Howl," he replied, getting up from where he was playing with Heen.

"And bring the Witch of the Waste with you." He inclined his head towards the old lady sitting across from him with a knowing stare in her eyes.

There was a small silence as Markl closed the door behind him, leaving the three of them alone. Then Sophie turned to Howl, one eyebrow raised.

"I thought you had to leave."

"I changed my mind. Some part of me never intended on going today anyway. Your just too irresistible, Sophie" Howl leaned closer to her, sliding a loving arm around her shoulders. "Not only that, but we have company. I just couldn't leave our guest now, could I?" He gave Justin a sideways glance, just daring him to try to take his Sophie away from him.

Justin returned Howl's icy stare. There was no way that Howl would capture Sophie's love. It is just as he said before, hearts change, and now that he was here, Justin was sure that Sophie would choose him. Why would she not?

Another awkward silence followed, the tension between the two men almost tangible.

"Well, since we are all going to be here for a while," Sophie spoke up, already seeing that this was going to be a _long _day, "I'm going to make some tea. Would anyone else like some?"

"No thank you, Love, I am alright," Howl replied, not taking his eyes off Justin.

Justin, on the other hand, saw this as another opportunity. "Sure, Sophie, I would be delighted. Anything made by you is sure to be wonderful." Justin told her with a smile, causing a soft blush to race across her features.

Seeing what Justin was doing all too clearly, Howl quickly switched tactics,

"You know. I changed my mind, the prince is right, since it is your glorious tea, I would love a cup."

Sophie sighed, shaking her head as she went through the motions for making tea. She then went over to the cupboard and got out three cups, one for each of them, and when the water was ready, proceeded to pour each a cup.

Justin flashed a grin towards Howl when he was served first, knowing that it would get under Howl's skin.

Howl was about to say something to wipe that smug smile off his face when Sophie finished pouring the tea and sat next to him again, kicking him under the table. "Stop it Howl," she whispered under her breath.

Justin, only a foot away, heard this clearly and beamed at him harder. Howl, on the other hand, gave her one of his innocent looks, "Stop what?"

Sophie shook her head silently, knowing that she was going to get nowhere. Even thought it was flattering to have two men fighting over her, it did kill the mood. She smiled a little at him, shoving at his shoulder, playfully. "You know perfectly well what, so don't act so innocent."

"I have no idea what you are talking about." A slow smile creped across his features, reaching his eyes and making them sparkle. Even though to anyone else she seemed mad at him, the slight shimmer in her eyes said it all. Though she would not admit it, Sophie was happy to have him home.

A fact that Howl just loved to rub in to Justin, who was pretending not to notice.

Sophie laughed, a true laugh that made Howl smile wider. Prince Justin could not remember any time before the curses where broken that she had laughed like this so freely and that fact only enraged him further. He had to act fast to stop this before it got out of hand.

When she started to lean in closer to Howl, raising her face to less than an inch below his, Prince Justin decided enough was enough.

Justin cleared his throat loudly, reminding Sophie that they were not alone. In no time at all, her face was reader than a tomato and she had snapped away from Howl faster than a jackrabbit, her eyes not daring to look at either of them.

"So, Howl, won't you be in trouble if you just do not show up." Justin said, veering the train of conversation into another direction, trying to remind Sophie how many times he had left her alone. "This would be one of the first times you have not shown and you do have your duties to Mrs. Suliman, including with all the work you have been doing together. She would not be the least happy."

Sophie's puzzled expression as she finally looked up at Howl said it all.

"Howl," she said slowly, "What is he talking about? Don't tell me that you have been helping _her_ this whole time, not after all that she has done."

"It's more complicated than that, Sophie." He started, "Though I hate to admit it, there are things that I can only accomplish with her aid. I would have told you, in time, Sophie, I swear."

"He's telling the truth, Sophie," Calcifer chimed in.

Sophie's eyes widened in shock, looking between the both of them. "Calcifer knew too? Why is it that everyone else knew what was going on and I was left in the dark?"

Privately, Prince Justin was patting himself on the back. This was working out better than he could have ever imagined.

She searched his face for a while. "Why didn't you at least tell me what you where doing? Why didn't you even trust me enough to tell me what was going on? I can see your reason, but why didn't you tell me sooner?"

Howl raised his eyes to hers. "Sophie, I…"

"Couldn't tell me, huh," she muttered coldly. She raised herself from her place at the table. "I see. Well, if you really don't care about me, I better be getting on my way. I mean…"

"Sophie, wait!" It was Howl's turn to stand, taking one timid step towards Sophie, who was already at the door, his hand outstretched towards her. Turning the dial, Sophie thrust the door open to the great expanse of mountains that lay before her. The wind blew brutally, whipping her starlight hair and her dress to one side. She faintly looked back as the door shut behind her, leaving the shocked Howl and Justin in her wake.

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**As always, thank you so much for all the reviews, especially:  
Shrouded View, Dreamz, Death's Crow, darknessofmyheart, Fancy Friday, spirit of faith, ThousandWordsOfEyes, Napris**

**Love to hear from you again and see what you think.**

**Well, see you next chapter.**

**Signed,**

**OneRogueAngel**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello again!!! **

**So here's the next chaper and I have to say, I am impressed. Chapter three has only been up for a little over a day and I already got 6 reviews! You people rock!!**

**Ok, I know that I said all I needed to do was tweak this chapter and I would post it the same day, but then one thing led to another, (mainly reading other peoples fics) and I lost track of time.**

**Like I said before, this chapter is dedicated to the one other person that read my mind and won the contest. Before I also forget, I have no idea how long it has been since I said it so here it is, "I do not own the HMC universe." I still can't even get my hands on the book.**

**As always, THANK YOU SO MUCH!! I cannot even explain how overjoyed I am that someone is reading this. I would also like to thank all my wonderful reviewers who I will always be indebted to. YOU ARE THE BEST!!!**

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**THIS CHAPTER IS DEDICATED TO DREAMZ**

P.S. "What Would You Do?" is really good!

**Chapter 4**

For a moment, the house was silent. Howl had no idea what he was going to do.

Then the realization that Sophie was really gone hit him sharper than a knife.

Emotions where welling up inside him, each fighting for release. The most abundant was anger. He was angry at this whole situation: angry at her for leaving him, angry at himself for letting her.

He was mainly angry at himself right now.

The worst part about this situation was that it was _his _fault that she was gone. This hurt the most, that he had done something to hurt her, a thing that he could never fathom he would ever do to her.

Next came the sorrow and worry.

What would he do if she never came back? Would she stay angry at him forever? Sophie was everything to him, the only women that he could ever truly love. She was his world, and the thought of her never coming back nearly tore his heart in two.

Then there was confusion.

Why _had _she left him? Did he say something wrong? It was not like this is the first time he had left her alone. This was not the only time that he had not told her where he was going, either. Did she really think that he didn't care about her? How could she think such a thing?! Did she leave because she did not love him anymore? Had he done something to make her not love him?

Then the cycle would start over again, starting with anger at himself for doing something wrong.

In all, Howl was a total wreck.

"What did I keep telling you; what did I just tell you this morning? You should have _told_ her, Howl. Now look at what you have done," Calcifer said from his place at the inglenook, reminding Howl that he had been there and watched all the events as they unfolded. Howl sent him one of his death glares.

"Well since you know _everything_, why didn't _you_ tell her, hmm?" he snapped.

"Well this seems like quite a mess," Prince Justin sighed from his spot at the table. "I guess I better be getting on my way." He gently raised himself to his feet and started to smooth out his clothing.

"And where do you think you are going?" Howl turned towards him in a flash; he had forgotten Justin was here. He desperately needed someone to vent all this raw emotions on and Justin was just the right one for the job.

"To go and comfort my true love, of course." He calmly replied, and seeming content with his appearance, started to walk towards the door.

"You stay away from her!" Howl yelled, moving with his uncanny speed to block his escape.

Stopped in his tracks, Justin burst into hysterical laughter.

"Don't you get it, Howl? You lost." And pushing Howl aside, Prince Justin waltzed out the door and after Sophie.

"Don't you dare go near her," he yelled, turning around to follow him out the door, but the door slammed right in his face, seemingly on its own. He blinked at it a few times, and then reached for the handle.

It did not budge.

He tried the door again, but this time it seemed to be glued to the wall.

"Come on!" he yelled at the door, jingling the handle diligently. "This is not what I need right now!" Seeing that he would get nowhere by just trying to force the damn thing open, Howl turned around, about to blow the cursed door open, when he heard a voice speak from behind him.

"There's no use, you know, the magic that is able to open each portal on the door has been blocked. There's no use in fighting it, for now." Howl swiftly turned to find the man that was traveling along with Justin, William. He was sitting at Howl's spot by the fireside, staring at the ceiling, the fire spreading shadows across his face.

"Your prince has already gone," Howl said into the doorframe, again trying to open it to no avail.

"I am perfectly aware of that." William calmly replied, eyes still fixed on the ceiling.

"Then why are you here?"

William merely chuckled at this question. "Well, that is a tale! But as seeing that you are not going anywhere, I might as well tell you, shouldn't I?" He turned from his inspection of the ceiling to look at Howl.

"Uh, I don't have time for this! Just let me go so I can throttle the prince and get this over with!" Howl banged his head against the door, finally at a lost. While he was stuck here, Justin would get even closer to Sophie.

"You know, I think you have bigger problems than that dope of a prince." William replied, still not getting why Howl was so upset about a little love quarrel. He did not even care that a perfect stranger had trapped him in his own castle. The arrogance of wizards! Well, he'll give him something to fear. He'll make him sorry for his arrogance, just like the others!

Now was the perfect time to show off his prize: the small pendant around his neck. Though the stone was small, it held deadly power. It had a tear drop shape and hung upside down so that the smaller edge was pointed towards the floor. The most astonishing thing about the stone, though, was its color. It was pitch black, as if no light could reach its depts. Faintly on its surface could be seen shimmers of midnight blue and blood red alternating and swirling in its base like silent ghosts.

Howl stared at William for a moment, then his eyes reached the stone and his curiosity was finally won. Now he was paying attention to him; now he cared.

"Quite astounding, isn't it," William smiled a little as he swung the stone in a small circle. "I had found it in a river bed when I was just a boy and oh, the power it holds!"

"That's one of the ancient star stones," Calcifer said amazed, "but they where destroyed millennia ago, said to be two powerful to wield!"

"That is true. It seems your fire demon knows his history, Howl," William agreed. "The star stones once held the powers of the universe, said to be the very stars themselves. However, they where uncontrollable and deemed too powerful for any one wizard. One by one, each stone was destroyed until only one remained: this stone here, the very stone that had the power to destroy all the others, the stone of darkness."

"This is bad, Howl," said Calcifer, his eyes wide, "very bad."

"So what does this stone do exactly?" Howl calmly replied. There was something wrong here, he could feel it, and his only option was to distract William long enough to figure out a plan to get out of this mess. If that stone was as bad as Calcifer said it was, then they where surely in for some trouble.

"Well at first, I thought it was useless. It has not real power on its own, at least. It was not until I got closer to something magical that I found its effect. That is what's so deadly about it; this small stone captures the magic around it and turns it back towards its enemies and let me tell you, it works magnificently, but you can already see that for yourself, since all the magic in this castle, save for that fire demon, is now shimmering in this jewel." William laughed hysterically at Howl's expression.

Howl's eyes widened at these words. Was that why the door wouldn't open? Without giving anything away, Howl silently reached out around him, feeling for the small buzz of magic that had always surrounded him.

There was nothing there.

William was telling the truth. All the protective spells, all the magic that he and Markl had been toying with had fully disappeared, leaving only silence in its wake. Even his power, which was always barley tangible below the surface wasn't there.

That was the reason for that strange feeling in the pit of his soul, making the hair on the back on his neck stand on end.

There was no magic. Nothing Howl could use to defend himself.

"Yes Howl, you have been stripped of your magic as well," William said, seeming to read Howl's mind.

"But why are you doing this? I do not remember doing anything to wrong you." Howl was starting to panic. This may have been the first time that he had not felt the slight pull of magic around him. It had always been there, always a source of comfort. Now it was gone.

"What did you do to me? The same thing that all the other wizards did: the whole arrogant bunch!" William raised himself from his seat as he said this. "You act like you are so better than the rest of us, then turn around and use your power to reek havoc on the innocent. You treat us humans like we are nothing to you just because we don't have magic. We'll I'll show you who is nothing, just like I showed the others!"

"Others?"

"Yes, you are not the first to be taught this lesson. That's the reason I attained that idiotic post at the castle. At first, I would only steal their powers, letting them live normal lives as humans. Then I realized that just taking away their powers was not enough. Magic was a virus that burrows deep into the soul. It was my duty to rid this world of these vile beings." William was speaking so passionate that Howl finally realized that he wasn't joking. William really thought that it was his obligation to kill innocent people.

Howl could not believe what he was hearing. Just his luck; the prince _had_ to bring the most insane person to the kingdom with a grudge against his kind to his door. Could things get any worse!

The prince…

Sophie…Well at least she was out of this and safe.

With this thought, Howl calmed some. Sophie was probably somewhere safe in the Waste where William would never find her. She was safe, and would probably live if he did not.

Surprisingly, Howl was not as scared anymore. Sophie was safe and that's all that mattered. Even though it pained him to say it, maybe she could even be happy with old Turnip Head. He loved her so much: all he wanted was for her to be happy, even if not with him.

"You're insane, you know that, raving nuts," Calcifer whispered, "How will killing innocent people make you a better person than how you portray the wizards?"

"Don't you ever compare me to them!" William glared down at Calcifer. "I am doing what needs to be done for our survival! Now I best be on my way."

"And where are you going?" Howl asked as William started to walk towards the door, causally.

"Well I'm sure as not going to stay here when the magic in Calcifer that keeps this castle together is sucked into my jewel, am I?" He replied, an evil grin planted on his face. "And I have to make sure that if you do survive, that you do not elude me again."

William walked over to the door and touched the doorknob lightly. Immediately, the stone around his neck started to illuminate and a small strand red that was swirling around in its depths just moments before came to life and wound it's way around the door. Immediately, the door burst open to the Wastes. Stepping lightly out the door, William turned around. "How about that girl of yours, the one that you made such a fuss over," He said, seeming to think it over. Seeing how Howl's face drain of color, he nodded his head. "Yes, Sophie wasn't it? She would be perfect."

"Don't you touch her!" Howl yelled, running as fast as he could towards the door. He was too late, though, for it was already closed and William already gone.

He reached for the handle, trying with all his might to open it. He then stepped back and hit the door repeatedly with his shoulder.

"Damn it!" he cried, hitting the door as hard as he could with his right hand. The door did not even budge. He left his hand there, leaning his forehead against the door as well.

What was he going to do? William was going after Sophie and he had no way to protect her!

Boy, was this a mess. All his magic was gone so he had no way out of this house. The only escape blocked. Things did not look good.

"Uh, Howl…" Calcifer said surprised. Howl turned his head to look at him but soon spun around in surprise, his eyes getting bigger.

Slowly, Calcifer's fire was being sucked out the door in a small strand, like smoke.

This was not good.

………

Meanwhile…

Sophie was sprawled out on the ground after tripping and falling, again. She was running so hard that she barely noticed the ruff terrain ahead of her. Tears where flowing from her eyes like small waterfalls as she cried into the soft earth.

She did not know why she was so upset. He had left her countless times and it never bothered her, but for some reason it really stung this time. Maybe it was because everyone else had known about it but her. Justin had known, and she was sure that Howl told Calcifer. Yet, even though he said he loved her, Howl didn't trust her enough to tell her what was going on.

She didn't even care that he was working with Mrs. Suliman. She was sure that he was doing whatever he could to help the rebuilding effort. Howl was the most kind person that she knew and he always did all in his power to protect the innocent. That's what she loved about him, but now she doubted that he loved her back.

Sure, he said he loved her, but he still didn't trust her. She was not the kind of girl to just sit at home and wait for his return, like a proper lady should. No, she wanted to do something to help him, even though she could not do much. Was that the reason that he didn't tell her?  
Furry raged inside her. If Howl wanted her to just stay at home and do nothing, well he had another thing coming!

Also, it had been a little over a year since the curses where broken. Why hadn't Howl asked her to marry him yet? If he loved her so much, wouldn't he want her to be his wife?

Or maybe he didn't really love her.

"Oh, Howl," Sophie cried, "I don't know what to do!"

It was then that she realized she was not alone. Was it Howl, come to comfort her? Sophie's heart started to beat franticly, and she turned her head towards the figure, a smile already planted on her face. When she saw who it was the smile faded and Sophie put her head down in disappointment.

It wasn't Howl, it was only Turnip. Howl wasn't coming for her.

Slowly, Justin cleared the distance between them and slowly settled himself next to her. A silence fell in between them, neither knowing what to say. Very slowly, Justin reached over to place a hand on her back, causing Sophie to cry harder.

This was not how it was meant to be! Why hadn't Howl come to wipe away her tears?

She turned her head to look at Justin. His eyes, concerned and caring, looked towards her intently.

"Oh, Turnip," she cried forgetting that he did not want to be called that anymore. She turned and flung her arms around him, crying into his shoulder.

He sat there surprised for a moment, then wrapped his arms around Sophie to comfort her, one of his hands running down her hair. This was the closest he had ever been to her. Even though he knew his Sophie was hurting, Justin was extremely happy inside. He would be there when she needed him most, not like Howl. Then she would finally see reason and fall in love with him. Maybe this was how events where meant to unravel.

After a while, Sophie's cries became nothing more than long sighs as she tried desperately to pull herself together. It was then that she remembered whose arms she was in and hastily pulled away, red from embarrassment.

"Sorry about your shirt," she whispered, not looking at him.

"It's alright, no problem at all. Are you feeling better?" He sounded so concerned that she almost started crying again. Not trusting her voice, Sophie merely nodded her head.

"That's good. I am so sorry that Howl hurt you, Sophie. If there is anything that I could do…"

"No!" She yelled, then more calmly replied, " no, I'll be alright, it was quite foolish of me anyway for behaving the way I did."

"Not at all, Sophie, you should never deem your feelings foolish," Justin said passionately. He then let out a heavy sigh, "my dear Sophie, you disserve more than this. You don't disserve Howl hurting you time and time again and I for one can no longer just stand here and comfort you. Why, you still insist on staying with him if all he does is hurt you, I have no idea."

"He doesn't just hurt me; Howl loves me with all his heart and would never hurt me intentionally!" Sophie yelled back at him.

"If he loves you so much, then why hasn't he come to see if you where alright?" Justin replied non-threateningly.

Sophie looked away from him, not knowing how to answer that. Truthfully, she was asking the same question.

"Sophie," Justin began again, "Why don't you just come back to the palace with me? You'll be much happier there and…"

Sophie cut him off before he could say one more word. "That's what you want, isn't it, to get me away from Howl. Well let me tell you something, Howl is my true love, not you. Howl loves me; I know he does, and I was a fool to doubt it," she said, finally realizing the truth.

Sophie quickly got back on her feet and started to run back the way she came, yet this time instead of crying, her face held a huge grin.

Howl loved her; why was she being so irrational? He had always loved her. He probably didn't tell her because he didn't want her to worry. Geez was she such a fool, why hadn't she seen it sooner.

The castle came into view, still a long distance away but she didn't care.

Halfway towards the castle, Sophie stopped dead in her tracks.

That feeling of dread had just come back in full force.

Something was wrong.

"Howl," She yelled, running faster now, worry in her voice.

She did not get far when a great wave of air hit her squarely in the chest, causing her to fly back a few feet.

The sight that met her when she finally opened her eyes caused all the color to drain from her face.

"Oh no, please no," She murmured shocked, as she ran with all her might towards what used to be Howl's moving castle.

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**Ohh, the suspence!!**

**So what did you think?? Long, huh. ****Please don't kill me for the ending. Just stay with me, ok?**

**Please review and let me know someone is actually reading this. You people make my world go round.**

**As always, any spelling mistakes are the sole responsibility of my evil SpellCheck and I am truely sorry. **

**I'll try to update soon, but I have learned my lesson about putting due dates so see yea soon.**

**OneRogueAngel**

**So did Howl escape? Will Justin ever win Sophie's heart? Will William be stopped?**

**Keep reading to find out!!!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello again!! I know, it's been a while, and most of you must be cursing my name from dawn to dusk because of the way if I left the last chapter, but at least I finally uploaded!! I have to tell you, this was one of the hardest chapters to write. I must have rewritten it like 20 times, never really liking the outcome. I really hope this holds up to it's expectations.**

**On a lighter note, wow people, I've had over 700 hits for this chapter! WAY TO GO PEOPLE!!! I feel so loved. While I'm on that subject, you have no idea how totally indebted to all of you people that reviewed. I LOVE YOU ALL!!!**

**Alright, I'm rambling again, so here's the next chapter. ENJOY!!!**

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Chapter 5

Justin almost fell out of the chair as he stumbled out of sleep yet again. A hopeful glance went towards the sleeping form in the bed next to him. However, with the realization that the slight rumble of thunder was the culprit of his jolt back into reality; a tired sigh escaped his lips.

It seems like it would be another sleepless night for him yet again.

It was fitting too that it had not stopped raining since he had arrived home, like the sky was in mourning as well, though this was the first time that thunder had reached his ears. It was like the world was irate towards him, like he had made the wrong choice, but he would have never forgiven himself if he had just left her there.

Justin moved his gaze back to the sleeping bundle, the flash of another bolt of lightning illuminating the slight rise and fall of the sheets as she breathed.

What would Sophie think of him now? He had heard what she had screamed at him on the Wastes. He had sensed how strongly she had felt about it too. She had really loved him and Justin could never be that for her.

Hearts had changed, but not in his favor.

He had been so arrogant, believing that just because she broke his curse, she had to love him. If only he hadn't been so reckless. If only he had realized it sooner and become someone that could at least could be called a friend to her. Instead he had wasted his whims and energies to try to make them bicker with each other. He felt so foolish, and now…

Everything had changed. It was like that time was ages ago. All that stuff didn't even seem to matter anymore.

How in the world would she take it? More importantly, how could he bring himself to tell her? She was always such a beacon to others, always so kind and spirited. She was always so strong, now he feared that when she awoke, she wouldn't be the same Sophie that she was before.

That is, if she ever woke up. It had been over three days now, and she hadn't even turned in her sleep. The only sign that she was still alive was the silent rise and fall of her breathing which had never faltered or changed.

They had only returned to the palace late yesterday morning, pretty fast compared to the journey there. Luckily, they had caught a merchant that was bringing his load into Kingsbury and he had agreed to take them along as well. It only took one quick glance at Sophie to make him agree to take them. The look on his face said it all, that look of pity. In a way, Justin didn't want to accept this mans pity, but at that time Sophie looked…

Another flash of lightning lit up the sky.

Another heavy sigh escaped his lips. She had looked like death when he had found her: curled in a ball in the mud, tracts of tears embedded on her face. She had seemed so fragile.

Then there was what he found a little ways from her.

"No, don't think of that now," Justin shook his head to try to clear the images from his mind. It was useless, though, it was already imprinted on the back of his eyelids and Justin could not help but feel that this was all his fault.

There was so much regret. So much that he wished he could have done over.

"T-Turnip? Is that you?" A voice whispered hoarsely beside him, almost causing Justin to fall out of his chair yet again. He raised his head in an instant to find a conscious Sophie raising herself to a sitting position in the bed.

"Sophie! Oh thank goodness you're awake; you gave us quite a scare. How are you feeling?" He was so relived that she was alright, Justin let the strange nickname slide. He kind of liked that she called him that, anyway.

"Fine, but where are we?" She asked, looking around with wide eyes. Sophie could not remember this room, let alone remember how she had gotten there. Her memory was nothing but a giant haze. In truth, she could not remember anything that had happened recently, though some small voice in her mind told her that she didn't want to remember. Something horrible had happened, she could feel it, but she couldn't recall what it was. It felt like a heavy weight was resting on her chest, making it hard for her to breathe.

"You're in Kingsbury, Sophie," he replied slowly, "your safe."

"Kingsbury!" she exclaimed her head instantly turning to the window behind him. "And wait a second, what do you mean by…" She trailed off suddenly as a flash of memory returned to her. Sophie looked around as if in a panic, her mind finally grasping what was missing.

When her gaze finally locked onto his, Sophie's eyes where wide and the tint of fear was shimmering through them. "Justin, where is Howl?"

He knew this was coming, but it still didn't make it any easier. "You really don't remember, do you?" he whispered, not looking at her. He leaned forward, the length of his forearms resting on his thighs; his hands clasped together, his whole body in a posture of defeat.

He could not help but raise his eyes to look up into her face, though, when cold hands clasped over his.

"Remember what Justin? What happened? I have this feeling that something is wrong, but I don't know what it is. Is it Howl? He's alright, isn't he?" worry was thickly dripping from each word she said, but Sophie used all of her strength to keep her speech steady and without fault.

Her eyes where so worried and fearful, Justin couldn't find it in himself to look at her. He wanted with all his soul to say yes, to calm her fears and tell her everything was alright. He wanted to tell her that Howl was fine… but he couldn't. He held her in too high regard to lie to her like that.

Justin stared intently at the floor as he whispered, "Oh Sophie, you have been asleep for three days now, a lot has happened in that time."

"What do you mean?" she questioned as she subconsciously squeezed his hand harder. "Howl's ok, isn't he? Is he hurt? Please, take me to him."

Her eyes were burning holes into his skull. It seemed like her energy had returned, for she threw the covers off and was about to jump out of the bed, when his hand shackled her wrist, stopping her.

"He's not injured, Sophie, he's," Justin began but was bluntly interrupted by Sophie's relieved cry.

"Thank goodness, you scared me for a moment. So where is he? He must be out and about in town, right? Three days! He must have gone insane. I swear he has the shortest attention span some times! Will you go and get him for me?"

A stretch of silence followed as Justin tried desperately to find the right thing to say to her. She was staring at him with such a look of relief, it was tearing him apart.

It seemed like the words kept sticking in his throat. Finding that it was pointless for words right now, He merely shook his head softly.

A look of complete bewilderment crossed her countenance.

"No? You can't go get him for me?"

Justin just shook his head harder, his eyes closed. It was like his emotions where battling each other, raging for release. Sophie could tell something was bothering him; he was holding himself so tightly, and she could feel his frustration. What was going on?

"Sophie, I'm sorry, I have no idea how to tell you this, but there's no way I can bring him back, because he's…he's…"

_Dead. _He couldn't bring himself to say it. For some reason, that one world was harder to say than anything else. That _one word_ seemed to stick in his dry throat, almost chocking him with emotion. It was like if it was spoken, then reality would set in. It was like if by saying it, it would finally hit him.

Though Howl was a rival, no one deserved to die like that and no feeling of jealousy would change that. That would only make him petty. Even if Howl and him weren't the greatest of friends, Howl wasn't evil, either. Maybe it was the guilt that was getting to him, but for some reason, all the anger towards him was no longer present. None of that mattered now.

There was a stretch of silence that filled the room completely. Sophie couldn't understand what Justin was implying. That old feeling of foreboding was returning, and Sophie didn't like it one bit.

After a while, Justin shook himself from his thoughts. Words where now useless; he couldn't trust himself to say it anyway. He reached into his pocket instead and took out a blue stoned necklace on a gold chain, placing it on the side of the bed.

"Sophie, I am so sorry," he said, not daring to take his eyes off of the necklace. The sharp intake of breath had been all he needed to know that she recognized Howl's necklace, that big gaudy thing that he never took off for a second. It was one of the only things that he could take back with them. Justin knew that she would have wanted it, even if it was still scorched from the flames, making it have an almost dull look to it.

"Where did you get that," she said absently, picking the necklace up and caressing it softly with her index finger. "This is Howl's necklace."

Then all the pieces chimed together in one fleeting thought that shook her to her core. "No, your not implying that he's dead, are you?"

"Sophie…I"

That was all she needed to hear. The look in his eyes, so soft and tender, almost made her want to break down and cry. Suddenly, it was all too much; Sophie couldn't take it anymore.

"No," she shook her head, desperately fighting tears, not wanting to believe what he was saying. "Justin, tell me where Howl is. I have to see him, I have to…" her voice broke as Sophie lost the battle and burst into tears,

Justin squeezed his eyes tightly shut as he uttered "Sophie, when I arrived, it was already too late. The castle… it was all in shambles, like a bomb went off in it or something. I had no idea… I thought that I had lost both of you. But then I found you laying there a few strides away, looking like death…"

"So after you found me, you let him die, it that it?" she glared angrily at him, tears still tracing down her face. She blatantly ignored the hurt that washed over Justin's face and went on. "That is how you wanted it, right, to have me all to yourself and Howl out of the way!"

He shook his head back and forth, a weary smile slightly on his lips. "No, Sophie, I would never have wanted this to happen. I tried, Sophie, I looked everywhere. I…and when I found him I…"

"No, you're lying! This can't be true; this isn't happening," she cried, cradling her head in her lap. "And you, you get the hell away from me!"

Another silence was brought between them. Then Justin let out a tired sigh and rose to his feet. Looking at her huddled form one last time, he whispered, "I'm so sorry, Sophie." Then slowly walked away from her and closed the door behind him, not daring to look back at her.

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**Ok, first off, please don't kill me!!**

**I felt horriable about writing this chapter, and it almost made me cry a few times. So I know a lot of people would be wondering why Justin is so emotional. Well let me just tell you, seeing someone die infront of you could change your outlook on life, including if you have to tell the loved ones.**

**I volenteer in a hospital, people, I've seen it before.**

**So before you write this story off as horriably awful and stop reading it here, just remember:**

**NOTHING IS AS IT SEEMS AND NEVER TRUST A FEELING YOU MAY HAVE.**

**I'll tell you this, it will get better and the discription still stands, if you get my drift. Geez, I should really stop giving you guys hints, but what the hell.**

**So in like less than a hour, I'm getting physically dragged to Atlanta til Monday, so I have no idea when I'll be able to update. I'll tell you this, though, I'll update as soon as I can.**

**As always, spelling is the sole fault of my evil SpellCheck that I swear has a mind of it's own. **

**Thank you so much for taking your time to read this and who ever is nice enough to review is the greatest person that ever lived!!**

**So stay with me people, it gets better, I promise!!**

**OneRogueAngel**


	6. Chapter 6 Grief

**Look who's back!!!**

**No, I haven't died or fell off the face of the universe, but life's been really hectic lately and I just don't have as much time to write as I would like. Hopefully the next chapter won't take me _as _long, but I'm not makeing any promises. (been there, done that...) Don't worry, though, for I will continue writing this fic and have no plans to stop writing.**

**As always, I do not own anything of the HMC univese so don't sue me, please.**

**And now that that's taken care of, I would like to dedicate this chapter to avidlydreaming for actually sparking me to write again by her review. Thank you so much. You totally rocked my world!**

**Ok, I've rambled long enough. Happy reading and for all those who are reading this or are so kind as to review, **

**I am forever greatful.**

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Chapter 6.

Another gust of wind cascaded through the balcony, stirring up the soft moonlight hair and causing it to gleam in the darkness. The silhouette to whom it belonged though, did not even register that her hair was in disarray. Instead, her unyielding eyes continued to stare blankly at the vast expanse before her, never really seeing what was there. As the wind ceased once more, her hair silently settled back to cover her neck and shoulders, letting her soft outline yet again become almost unidentifiable in the thick obscurity of night. Before her, the courtyard was silent, the other inhabitants residing inside the palace having the sense to be in bed at this hour.

Not Sophie, though. Sleep had now tilted the scale, becoming more of a burden than a necessity. To her, the night was more of a comfort, a new world that dulled the ache that had engulfed her life for the last few days. It was at this time that she felt like she could let her mask slide without the annoyance of other people finding her. It was here, in the dead of night that she could just bask in the silence and forget. Here everything was fine.

And if she kept telling herself that, it may just come true…

No matter how much she tried to block them out of her life, those images would be forever implanted in her psyche, coming to the surface at every opportunity. What happened on that day would haunt her forever.

The day that…

She still couldn't believe that it had only been a month… exactly one month tonight that she had woke up in this place so far from home and learned the truth. At first, she didn't want to believe it, didn't want to believe that he was really gone.

He was the great wizard Howl, for Heaven's sake. He triumphed over impossible odds before, always coming out victorious. That's what he did! He would laugh in the face of death just for the heck of it!

But not this time…

Death had grabbed him by the neck and dragged him back down, proving to be the victor in the end.

How she missed him. The way the sound of his laugher would cascade down upon her, engulfing her in pure happiness. The way that she always felt safe and secure in the shelter of his arms. The way he…

Sophie shut her eyes tightly, trying desperately to stop the tears behind her eyes from falling.

She had cried enough already, the feeling of the unshed tears always present behind her large, brown eyes.

"Why can't I pull myself together?" Sophie muttered, lowering her forehead to the cold wood of the banister.

She had believed it would get better as time went on, but it had only gotten worse. Especially these last few days, it seemed that she couldn't go one second without thinking about him, causing the whirl-wind of hurt to break through to the surface over and over again. It was as if she was plagued with it, his name and loving face haunting her every waking moment and causing a new flow of tears to flow down her face.

Sophie had never felt this utterly broken in her life. Even after her father died, it was no comparison to the feeling of never seeing Howl's goofy grin again. It was as if her heart was ripped in two, leaving a dull, heavy stone in its place. Who knows how long it was since she had a decent night's sleep, or when she had eaten last as well. It all didn't seem to matter anymore.

Nothing mattered…

Slowly, Sophie's eyes fluttered shut; her form still slumped against the dark railing. Taking in a few deep breaths, Sophie just stood there, basking in the coolness of the night. Another gust of wind rushed past her, the force of it raising her hair and tugging at her simple blue dress.

As she stood there, a figure slowly walked the halls, his mind in deep thought. The slight echo of his footsteps bounced off the silent walls, sounding louder than it really was in his ears. As he turned the corner, he was surprised to see her, slouched over the balcony, the slight rise and fall of her shoulders the only sign that she was real. He stood there for a moment, not knowing what to say.

"Sophie," he tentatively whispered, extending his hand out in front of him, then thinking better of it and letting it drop to his side once more.

Slowly, she turned around, her face rising just a bit so that she could see him clearly in the darkness. In a way, he almost didn't recognize her. The soft smile that had always been present on her lips had been chipped away; her sparkling eyes now dull and puffy. There were dark purple circles under her eyes, a clear contrast to her nearly translucent skin. The only thing the same about her was the silver hair, slightly moving in the breeze.

"What are you doing out here?" he softly asked her, taking one step towards her. She just stared at him for a while, then slowly turned her head back to stare at the silent courtyard underneath.

"I guess I should ask you the same question," Sophie's elbows were propped against the banister, her eyes never faltering from their fixed position below as she spoke.

"Why don't you come inside, Sophie," he asked gently, reaching his hand out to her once more. She didn't take it, though, and slowly blinked, not moving from her pose.

"And why should I?" her words were soft and mumbled, almost whispered. "Would it really matter if I was in there or not?"

"Of course Sophie, you…" he passionately started, then was silenced by the force of her gaze meeting his. He was overcome by the intensity of it; as if by looking strait into those dark, brown pools, he was able to understand everything, even the distinct throb of mind numbing grief that clasped around her bleeding heart. In that one instance, it was suddenly overwhelming, as if the weight of it all was crushing him as well. Quickly, he looked away, not knowing what to say. Silence once again surrounded them, the whole world seeming to hold its breath as not one sound echoed in the darkness.

"You are not alone, Sophie, there are people here that care about you, that want you to be happy." Cautiously, he raised his eyes, but she had already looked away, resuming her silent vigil.

There was a long stretch of silence, both not knowing what to say. Finally he let out a heavy sigh in defeat. Casting one final glance towards the unmoving women next to him, Justin started to walk back the way he came, his head bowed and hands thrust into his pockets.

Soon, his footsteps ceased, the night becoming quiet once more.

…….

It did not take long for the small reign of self control that kept her on her feet to wane and shut down, as she stood on that balcony, now fully alone.

Once she was sure that no one would hear her, Sophie slid down to the floor, her legs pulling up against her chest as she hid her face in the many folds of her skirt. For a few minutes, she just sat there, her breaths coming in short shutters, letting the pent-up emotions that she so carefully hid behind her porcelain mask breach the surface. If she still had any tears left to shed, the intensity of her sobs were a clear sign that she would have been crying by now.

What was wrong with her? Why couldn't she pull herself together? Why couldn't she just go with Justin and move on with her life?

Another thundering sob echoed through her being. How in the world could she even think that she could get on with her life? The pain was still too fresh, too close at hand. They always say that holding on was unhealthy…

But could she really forget him?

In a way, she envied the stark numbness of before, when she didn't have to think about things like this. The numbness was easier. Even if she was sacrificing the happy memories as well as the horrific, it was better to forget, because in truth, she was afraid to remember. She was afraid to remember the good times, knowing that the bad were just around the corner. No matter what she did, there was no way to escape from the present, a world now filled with immeasurable pain and stark loneliness. At times, the hurt would be too much to bear, making her vainly wish that she had never stepped foot in that moving castle, never met Howl or Calcifer or anyone else for that matter. Vaguely, she would fantasize on how different their lives would have been: whether they would have been happy without her…

Whether they had lived…

But even if she acted like she wanted to wish it all away, Sophie would never give up the memories that she had shared there. Though it was painful to brood on them, there were happy memories at that homey castle. There were times when she smiled, when she was fully content to just bask in the moment and the overwhelming feeling of warmth that she felt around her. Not for anything would she give up the memories of her little adventures around the castle, cleaning and whatnot. There was nothing to offer that could ever come close to the feeling of love she had felt there. The feeling of strong arms encircling her, holding her close. The slight tickle of his breath on her neck as…

_Stop it. You must think about something, anything else but him…_

Her mind screamed at her to stop, trying to stop the whirlwind of emotion to engulf her once again. It was too late, though. Her mind had already crossed the line into that forbidden space.

"Why did you have to die." She whispered brokenly, not expecting an answer. She didn't dare say his name; it was too painful. New tears formed and spilled over, causing Sophie to burry her face into the folds of her skirt once more. Sophie shook her head back and forth involuntarily,

Sophie felt totally and utterly alone. Everyone she had ever cared for, everyone that she had ever loved was gone and she was never going to see any of them again. There was still no word from the flower shop. As each day war on, the sense that no one was left of her make-shift family but her was getting stronger and stronger. Countless times, Prince Justin had tried to get her to go back to Market Chipping, if only because he believed that spending time away from the castle and with her family would bring Sophie some comfort. But Sophie wouldn't go. She was afraid of what she would find there. Afraid to actually see for herself the empty shell of the home she had so dearly loved and the ghosts that resided there...

Sophie was so caught up in her grief that the small sound of footprints gently padding toward her was completely overlooked. It was not until the slight pressure of a small, furry head pressed against her knee that she even realized that she was no longer alone. Raising her head from her lap, Sophie turned to see a small dog with a peculiar grin staring up at her. For some reason, the dog seemed important, familiar somehow.

There was a sharp intake of breath from behind her, causing Sophie to gently turn around. A young boy with reddish-brown hair was standing only a few feet away, hugging the wall behind her.

No.

It couldn't be…

"Markl?"

* * *

**Yay, now the fun part begins!**

**Thank you so much each and every person that reviewed last chapter, especially Schrouded View (as always), shiroi-miko (sorry for the wait), Dreamz (I'm so sorry I made you cry. And yea, at the moment I live in the South, but I'm not from here), zenbon zakura ( what can I say... both creepy and touching at the same time), 11My-Cookies11 (you'll just have to find out for yourself), vivid dreamer (thank you so much for the review), NeRd4LiFe2007 (that was not the end, I'm just getting started), Spam Hearts Jasper (don't worry, just wait a little longer and it'll get better, I promise), Cagalli-01 (Thank you so much! I'm so glad you like the story), meaningfulnonsense (I have to say, I love your name... it's awsome) FlayiusD (don't worry, I'm not giving up yet!), Unsavory Charlatan ( thanks for the review!), and finally avidlydreaming (thank you so much for reviewing. Your review actually got me thinking about picking up the fic again. Thank you so much and I hope you liked the chapter.)**

**As always, any misspellings are the sole fault of my evil Spell Check.**

**I hope to get back to you as soon as I can and I hope you liked the chapter.**

**As always, Thank you for reading my fic and to those who take the time to review, I am forever in your dept.**

**until next time...**

**OneRogueAngel**


	7. Chapter 7 Hope

Chapter 7 - Hope

"No… It couldn't be…"

Sophie's honey-brown eyes, once dull and lifeless, stared widely at the small figure in front of her.

"Markl…" she silently whispered to herself, trying to grasp what her eyes were telling her. Slowly, she shook her head back and forth in an attempt to dispel the vision of the little boy that had wound his way deep into her heart so long ago. However, this was no illusion. He was really there, standing mere feet from her.

"How…" she started, but was soon cut off as Markl, seeming to have finally come back to himself, spun on his heals and broke into a thundering run. In no time at all, his outline was fully engulfed in the shadows of the hall, leaving only the slight echo of foot falls in his wake.

"Wait!" Sophie's anguished cry bounced off the hall as she scrambled forward and onto her feet. She raced onward, heading in the direction of the slight echo of small feet only a few strides ahead.

Her mind still could not comprehend how he could be alive. She had just assumed like everyone else that she was the only survivor of their makeshift family. But this changed everything.

If Markl had survived, then maybe…

Filled with a new sense of hope, Sophie strove onwards into the dark hall. It abruptly ended with a flight of wooden stars which Sophie took without hesitation. The hollow sounds of the wooden planks giving underneath her weight creaked and groaned as she sharply turned the corner to take the second flight, her right hand sliding on the banister to keep her balanced. She raced down three more flights just to turn the corner and see the small figure in front of her reach the last stair, about to run onward into the dull night.

"Stop. Markl," she called out, out of breath, hugging the pole of the stair to keep herself upright. The figure stilled as if carefully contemplating what to do next, then plunged into the passage before him, one much darker than the one preceding it.

Heaving a sigh of frustration, Sophie took the last set of steps two at a time and plunged into the darkness after him.

The passage was long and gloomy, more of a tunnel than a hallway. Her boots now thundered on dark cobblestones instead of the soft wood of the upper stories, making an eerie reverberation on the stone walls with each ragged step. Faintly up ahead could still be heard the tale-tell sign that she was not alone; however Sophie could no longer see her quarry.

With it being such a late hour, there were only a few scattered lights still lit around the castle. This one passage, unfortunately, seemed to be one that was very seldom used after dark and not one torch stood lit to illuminate her path. Sophie was then forced to blindly stumble through the tunnel with no telling where she was being led. Nevertheless, Sophie did not waste one thought to her wellbeing. Her train of thought was strictly elsewhere as she raced onwards, her black boots making a clinging noise on the cobblestone floor.

The passage abruptly led to an open porch lined with wide, stone columns that were evenly spaced between rows of simple, white banister. Still running hard, Sophie caught herself on the top bar of the banister, her hands grasping the smooth, polished wood absently. Softly, she raised her head to take in the surroundings in front her with child-like wonder.

From the look of it, she was somewhere in the servant's quarters on the outskirts of the castle, the soft, grassy knoll of the castle grounds spread out before her. She had never been in this side of the castle before, choosing the solitude of the open terraces and empty halls instead of the more habitable places such as this. In the dead of night, though, the place was oddly deserted, giving it an eerie feeling all around.

Vaguely, her mind registered that in less than a few hours, this place would be teeming with life, so completely different than it was now. To think of all those people, so carefree and happy, going on with their day without one care in the world…

Reluctantly, Sophie tore herself from her thoughts and turned her head sharply back to the hall, her eyes searching. A flash of reddish-brown shone in the faint moonlight just to disappear some way ahead. Pushing herself off from the banister, she raced forward once again, easily breaking into an adrenaline-enhanced run. She leaned forward slightly, gently lifting her dress to ensure she did not trip. Around her, the world was strangely mute, the only sound the frantic beating of her heart ringing in her ears and the sharp exhale of breath as her lungs diligently pumped her raging body with much needed oxygen. Even the slight rustle of wind that had so enthralled her before was oddly silent.

Sophie reached the end of the hall and grasped the handle for am opaque, glass door in front of her. However, something gave her pause as her fingers grasped the cold, metal handle. There was something familiar about this place; something she should stay away from and sent warning bells ringing in her head. Diligently, she pushed the glass door open, stepping into the large, spacious greenhouse before her. Bathed in moonlight, the greenhouse took on a different light, almost ominous. Feeling the door close silently behind her, Sophie edged her way slowly forward, trying to make the least amount of sound possible. The tall, exotic plants flanking her soon dissipated, leaving her mere feet from a person she would have never wished to meet again. Bathed in the soft moonlight coming from the glass ceiling sat none other than Madam Suliman herself, her face turned towards the large, dark windows beyond.

For a moment, Sophie just stood there, frozen to the spot, her eyes as wide as dinner plates. Then, she inched her left foot backwards with great care, not trusting her self to breathe least she give away her presence. Yet, as she took another step in retreat, Mrs. Suliman turned her head, freezing Sophie in her place.

"Won't you to join me, Miss Hatter," Mrs. Suliman motioned towards the small chair to her side that had not been there a second before.

Sophie stood frozen, not knowing what to do. Obviously, escape was now out of the question.

"Where's Markl," Sophie asked, not taking her eyes off of Mrs. Suliman. Something wasn't right about this, she was sure about it. This seemed too much of a quincidence.

"You shall see him when the time comes, but not right now. Come. Sit with me." Again, she beckoned to the seat next to her.

Sophie's eyes narrowed in suspicion, her mind racing. "he was never here, was he. This is just one of your games."

"All in good time, Mrs. Hatter, but at the moment there are more pressing issues to discuss. You will just have to trust me for the time being that he is unharmed."

"And why should I believe you? You have done nothing to earn my trust" Sophie said, standing her ground, still weary of the old woman in front of her.

Mrs. Suliman sighed wearily, letting her eyes slide closed as she did so. "I know that this might be hard, but you have to trust me. At least give me the benefit of the doubt when I say that I have never wished to harm you. Everything that I have done was for the general good."

"Really now, that's what you call it," Sophie raised an eyebrow in speculation, "well, let me tell you, you've done a wonderful job showing it."

"I had to make sure that Howl would not be lost to us, that he would regain his heart before it was too late. I assure you, I was only looking out for his welfare. I never would have wanted anything like this to happen." she replied, annunciating her words deliberately as if talking to a small child.

Sophie let out a snort of disbelief, her left hand digging into her right forearm to try to dispel the stab of ache that she felt when thinking about him. "Well, we all know how great_ that_ turned out in the end."

A long silence filled the air as Sophie let her words dissipate into the air. Quickly, she turned her gaze from the old woman, no longer able to look at her. Her eyes drifted intently to the large windows and the darkness beyond. Slowly, she seeped back into her thoughts, trying desperately to make sense of what her mind was telling her. Madam Suliman stayed silent, waiting patiently for Sophie to make the next move.

Softly, she raised her right hand to rub her shoulder absently, trying on a subconscious level to give herself comfort. "I guess it doesn't really matter now anyway. Even if your intentions were good at the time, it won't bring him back. He's still gone, and nothing can change that." She whispered into the night, her eyes never swaying from the cold, darkness outside.

"Your wrong." Mrs. Suliman uttered loudly, causing Sophie's head to turn sharply in her direction.

"If you haven't noticed, Howl is dead. Gone. Never coming back. Even _I_ have given up the hope of his return. It's too late, Mrs. Suliman."

"It is never too late," Madam Suliman answered, her voice adding in intensity.

Sophie turned her head away sharply, not believing what she was hearing. "Well, then you are more senile than I remembered. Nothing can bring the dead back to life, everyone knows that."

"Howl is not completely dead."

Sophie stilled, reverting her full gaze back towards the figure in front of her. "What kind of fool do you take me for? I don't know what game you're playing here but if you think…"

"I assure you, I know you no fool. What I speak is the truth. You can still bring him back," Mrs. Suliman interrupted before Sophie could finish, her words so filled with passion and the need for understanding that Sophie stilled. Slowly, she let the words sink in to her, letting the fullness of their meaning fill her soul.

"You—you mean… we could actually bring him back?" she asked in a small voice, a small thread of hope that she had never let herself feel slowly burning in her voice.

"Not _we_, child, but _you._ You are the only one that could ever have the chance of succeeding."

"But how?" she whispered, still not trusting her voice.

"Though the pendant."

Sophie's hand subconsciously went up to touch the soft, blue stone hanging around her neck underneath her clothes. "But how did you…"

"It is of no consequence." Mrs. Suliman replied hastily. "All you need to know is that through it, you can bring Howl back."

"Wait, I don't understand. How can this trinket bring him back?" Sophie clutched the blue stone to her, her eyes pleading.

"You've done it before. This pendant is made from the same stone as that ring you once wore. You should be able to find him, if your heart truly wishes it."

"You mean when I found out about Howl's past? I don't know how I did it—it just happened. A once in a life-time thing. How am I ever to do it again?"

"You'll know when the time comes. But, before you take on this burden, I must know, how far will you go to bring Howl back?"

"I'd do anything." Sophie replied without hesitation.

"I must warn you, though, the journey is not an easy one and the price demanded is great; sometimes greater than what is gained. Your heart must not waver, for one stray step, and all fails. Sometimes, it is not for us to play God, for nothing is ever free. Could you live with this burden? To risk all that you have done and defy nature with only a slight hope of victory? Could you live with knowing that you willingly caused everyone that has cared for you pain and anguish with your death? You do not have to do this. You could just live on as you were intended with Prince Justin."

Sophie thought carefully about what the old women was implying. She could live here; leave the way of things as they were meant to be. If she actually put effort towards getting past the pain and grief, she was sure that life could be better for her. She could even learn to love Justin, with time. She may one day even be happy. Could she really be so selfish as to intentionally make everyone who cared for her: Lettie, her mother, Prince Justin, and Markl (if he was still alive), suffer from the grief that has so become a part of her life? She could live on, if she put the effort forth.

However, even as these thoughts crossed her mind, Sophie already knew what she planed to do.

Without a doubt in her mind, Sophie stepped forward and gave her answer.

* * *

**Let me tell you, writers block is the worst and I'd never wish it on anyone.**

**Sorry about the delay. At the time, I had this chapter fully planned out, however it did not go as planed. Life got in the way and all that but I won't bore you with my personal life. I feel really bad about not getting back until this late, however I wanted to wait until I had at least one other chapter finished before I posted anything else. The next chapter should be done around Halloween as a special treat, but no promises.**

**But before I go any further in my rantings…**

**Over 60 reviews! Thank you so much! You rock, people ;-)**

Special thanks to: **Kirseis:** wow, thanks so much for the encouragement. It's an honor. Hope your patience paid off this time too. **Avidlydreaming**: as always ;) **Keeper of the Times****, ****S.Mercury: **watching too much anime is a bad thing hides lots of love for the encouragement! Glad you enjoy the cliffies, since I just ended with another one ;) **cookiemonsterks**: ugh, the dreaded spelling! Hope this holds up to your expectations. **Dreamz****:** it's nice to see a familiar face. Thanks so much for staying with me so long! **couples lover!:** because it's too much fun not to ;) sorry about the wait. Hope you enjoyed it! **Shell, kataragirl11****, ****Mini, cherryblossom64****:** thank you . **whatsherface-ice, Grassina3****:** hope this clears things up for you a bit. You'll just have to wait and see! **SunnyGoesNorth****:** will do, thanks so much. **Terriah, **and finally** QuickStar. **I always hold reverence for the last reviewer. Thank you so much and I'm sorry it took so long.

**Just as a clarification, I am not going to ever give up on this story. No matter how long it'll take me, I'll try to update as soon as I can.**

**One last thing…**

**As always, I am so grateful to those of you who have read this and enjoyed it, even if you have not reviewed. Thank you so much and I hope to see you soon!**

**Lots of love,**

**onerogueangel**


	8. Chapter 8 Purpose

**Chapter 8- purpose**

Gradually, the dark, shaded night gave way to the soft overtones of purple, pink, and radiant blue as another day began anew. Slowly, each creature sprang to life, greeting the day in their soft melodies: the slight rustle of undergrowth, the sweet song of chirping birds, even the slow sway of leaves as the wind made its presence known above them. Yet, before the first rays of golden sunlight licked at the cold, darkened streets of the city below, the inhabitants were starting to rise to start another day. All around Kingsbury, shop doors were opening, getting ready for the hustle and bustle of the new day. On the street corner, a boy swept the stoop of a large shop, heavily leaning on the broom and desperately fighting the sleep in his eyes. Further down, a woman, her features brown from the heat of the fires, placed fresh rolls out into the shelf of the Bakery's front window. The smell was overwhelmingly tempting as Sophie walked by, her mouth water slightly at the scent. However, she did not stop for even a second at the bakery, continuing to walk instead down the lane towards the edge of town.

She had chosen to leave as soon as possible, only stopping to snatch a few slices of bread and cheese from the still sleepy kitchen staff. No one had noticed her, the guards giving her no second thought as she slipped out of the castle doors. They probably thought her a servant going to get fresh supplies for the day, just as she had seen countless do every other early morning. Sophie had never been happier that her preference of clothing was not extravagant. In her simple blue dress, she blended in with all the other ordinary people out and about in the morning, supplying a perfect camouflage. Sophie could not take any chances. So far, her luck had held out, however she did not want to test it. Sophie wanted to put as much distance as possible between her and those of the castle before…

"Sophie! Sophie Hatter," a voice she couldn't ignore called from behind her, still a distance off. Reluctantly, Sophie stopped in her tracks, debating what she should do next. Vainly, she had wished that he wouldn't come for her, though she knew nothing would stop him once he learned she had disappeared.

She could always make a run for it, dash through the alleyway and try to lose him through the crowds of the early morning. However, that would be cruel, especially after all he had done for her. Sophie could not do that to him; he had only treated her with kindness. It was not his fault that she was not ready to justify herself to anyone, least of all him.

Besides, she probably would not have had a chance of losing him anyway.

Steeling herself for what's to come, Sophie squared her shoulders and patiently waited for him to make the last few strides toward her.

"Sophie," he began, then stopped awkwardly, not knowing what to say.

"I guess it's true, then… that you're leaving."

"I'm only going for a small walk, stretch my legs. Nothing to get worked up about, "she lied smoothly, shifting her pack on her shoulder slightly.

"Madam Suliman told me what you were planning on doing," he said flatly, gazing intently into her small face.

Sophie looked away sharply. "Another reason to dislike that woman! So much for being on my side," she muttered under her breath.

"Tell me you are not actually planning on going through with this fools errand."

Without saying a word in reply, Sophie resumed walking down the lane purposely, Justin falling into step next to her. She shot him a sideways glance. "Well, if you are here to stop me, then you better not waste your breath."

"But really, Sophie, how could you go along with something so dense. I would not have expected something so foolish from one such as you!" Sophie did not reply, only proceeding onward, still not looking at him.

"And to think of all the dangers you would face!" he continued, "you of all people should know how dangerous it is to travel across the country at this time and age."

"This is not the first time I've traveled alone. I can take care of myself, thank you."

"Come on, Sophie, at least think about this for a moment before you plunge blindly into danger." He grabbed her forearm, stopping her in mid-stride. "Do you have any clue as to where you are going? What you will do when you get there?"

Tiny flames danced in the depts. of her brown eyes, smoldering intently. "Of course I do!" She tugged her hand out of his grasp. "And why is it of any concern to you, anyway?"

"Why do you keep insisting on throwing your life away like this? Do you have a death-wish, because there are easier ways of killing yourself."

"And what would you say if I do." Her eyes burned holes into him, her face set, just daring him to say anything. "Now if you excuse me," Sophie pushed him aside, walking on a few steps. Justin stayed planted in his tracks.

"There are still people who care about you, Sophie. You are not alone. You may think that your life is over but…"

"You know nothing about my intentions!" she whirled around. Her eyes narrowed," do you think I haven't thought of all of this, haven't already took this into account as I contemplated what I was doing. Or did you just think that I acted on impulse, a damsel in distress with no clue as to what danger she faces."

"Of course not, Sophie…"

"Then why? Why are you doing all this?" she beckoned around her, "why did you come here today? Why did you seek me out last night? Why didn't you leave me to die like I should have!"

"Because I care about you, Sophie! Why can't you get that in your head?"

They stared at each other for a moment, words strangely lost. For the longest moment, they just stared at each other, gazes intense as brown clashed with light blue. Sophie did not know what to say. Suddenly, all the hurt, all the pain and anguish that she had kept locked inside had gained release. Seeing how she had become, Sophie at once felt ashamed and mortified. Quickly, she ducked her head, not wanting Justin to see how fragile and distressed she actually was.

Her fingers dug into the the stick of her pack for dear life, her hands gripping the wood so tight that it left imprints into her palms. She was not going to cry, she vowed to herself. She had a purpose now, she had the chance to make things right. The time for tears was long gone, the time for self pity and grief abused to its full. She was not the kind of woman to just stay on the sidelines and cry about what could have been. She had been faced with impossible tasks before, this was no different. She could do this.

Deliberately, Sophie raised her head, her eyes still glossy with unshed tears. "I am sorry, Your Majesty, but I cannot comply with what you are asking of me," her voice wavered slightly, however slowly became more and more forceful. "I have been trusted with a valuable quest, one that I may be the only one to accomplish. I must complete it, no matter what the price to myself. I cannot stay here and wallow in my grief any longer. I am going to bring him back, Prince Justin, and nothing you will say will stop me." Sophie held her head high, a glimpse of her old confidence back in the depths of her eyes as she stared intently at Justin, daring him to say anything in rebuke. However, instead of criticism, Sophie's outburst was met with a wide grin.

"Now that's the old Sophie that I remember, it took you long enough." Sophie's face was the essence of confusion. "I had to make sure you had no doubts, that you were completely focused on the goal at hand. I have heard that these quests are quite wearisome. If you wavered for even one second, then there would be no way you could have made it. Good thing we got that over with from the beginning, huh."

"What do you mean 'test' and—hey! What do you think you are doing?!" Justin snatched the pack right out of her grasp, throwing it over his shoulder lightly.

"Getting ready to move onward, of course. Unless you want to walk the whole way to the Wastes, I best advise that we start moving now." Justin started onwards, leaving Sophie to stand on the side of the road, open mouthed. Suddenly, she shook her head forcefully, then stride after him.

"Wait one second, mister, if you think…"

"I don't think, Sophie, I know I'm going with you. My mind is made up, just like yours was."

Sophie had the sudden urge to stick her tongue out at him. She reached over to snatch her pack back from him, however Justin was quicker, thwarting all her efforts easily.

"What?" he asked innocently, setting her teeth on edge, "Since I could not waver you in your insistence on going, it would at least settle my fears to know that you are not alone. Also, if I remember correctly, The last time that you traveled to the wastes, you were not completely alone."

That was it, she was going to hit him, even if he was royalty. "Ugh! Why did I ever break your curse? I liked you better when you couldn't talk back, Turnip, even if you were my least favorite vegetable."

Justin's witty reply was lost to a fit of laughter as he continued to jog down the lane, Sophie right on his heels.

* * *

**Okay, a little something to hold you over until I can figure out what direction this fic is going in.**

**Since my writing stile has changed somewhat since I first started this story (hopefully for the better) I've been slowly going through each chapter and fixing the spelling errors, adding more description, etc. Nothing too major, just some slight tweaking.**

**As always, thank you so much for all you out there that read this, especially:**

**Dreamz:** glad to hear from you as well**, Link Fangirl01:** but being evil is just too much fun ;P,** admcc93:** hope this clears things up for you!, **and K. Bears: **luckily, I haven't gotten any viruses, but I can see how devastating they can be, I'm glad you're excited ;)

**Thank you so much for the support and hope to hear from you all in later chapters!**

**Signed,**

**OneRogueAngel**


	9. Chapter 9 No Complaint

**Chapter 9- no complaint**

The midday sun burned brightly overhead as a gentle breeze shifted through the bare landscape below. Here, nature was the undisputed ruler. The dampening glow of city lights did not illuminate the horizon, here. Neither did the acidic tang of steel and industrialization. For miles around, the only touch from a human hand was from the gentle till of the abundant land and the slight traffic of the simple dirt road running through it.

Slowly, a lone cart emerged on the road, gently advancing towards a deserted crossroads. Its progression was slow, the cart heavily burdened with the fruits of a bountiful market visit. Every so often, the cart would rattle and shake as it traversed over the uneven pavement, causing hay to go flying in the process. When the cart could go no further, it pulled to a stop, sending all of its contents forward jerkily.

Slowly, a figure emerged from the shade of a large, burlap sack, briskly wiping away at the slight covering of hay. Blinking her wide, brown eyes, the figure scanned the green landscape beyond, a hand absently reaching out to awaken her slightly snoring companion. It did not take much to wake him, and after a few grumbles and stretches, both figures collected their belongings and proceeded to detach themselves from the wooden cart's contents. After a few short "thank you's" and well wishes, the cart started onward once more, leaving the two on the road's green shoulder.

For a moment, they just stood there, facing the long stretch of road ahead of them.

"Well, this looks promising. When they say 'middle of nowhere' they really mean it."

Rolling her eyes, Sophie adjusted her pack. "What did you expect? That he would take us all the way to the Wastes? He was nice enough to take us this far."

"He would have, you know?" He raised his arms over his head to stretch. "Things would have been much easier if you would have just let him."

She gave him a curt stare. "And take him miles out of his way, away from his family? How could you ask such a thing? Now come on, lazybones, we have a long walk ahead of us." Sophie started onward, beckoning for him to follow.

Having the feeling that this was going to be a long day, Justin reluctantly followed down the small dirt road, leaving the crossroads deserted once more.

…….

"This road just keeps going!"

Sophie covered her mouth with her hand in an attempt to stifle her laughter. "Oh come on, it is not that bad. At least the scenery is pretty enough."

"Yes, because we could not enjoy wide, unpopulated fields anywhere else." He rolled his eyes dramatically "To your left, there's grass, and what is that to your right? More grass! And look what's to come. Who would have thought it, _even more grass_. I swear, it is like it never ends!"

Sophie shook her head at his folly. "Well, do not get too attached to the pleasantries of green foliage. As you know, once we cross over into the Wastes, all of this will vanish." She beckoned around her with her open hand.

"I know, but still, it's enough to make you go insane. Honestly, who would ever choose to live out in a place like this? Give me the hustle and bustle of Kingsbury any day!"

Sophie raised her eyes heavenward, choosing not to respond. They walked in silence for a few minutes, the only sound the slight rustle of the foliage around them.

"So, how much further until we reach the Wastes?" Justin asked, eying the long stretch of road in front of them.

"Your guess is as good as mine. I've never been in this side of the country before."

Justin stopped in his tracks. "Are you serious? We could be going in the completely wrong direction, and you would be none the wiser."

She shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly. "We're on the right track, I promise."

"But you aren't completely certain… He took a few seconds to search her blank features. "Sophie!"

"What? It's not as if I've been everywhere. This part of the country is still a bit of a mystery to me." She replied hastily, "Mostly, I've just traveled around the Wastes or in the outskirts of Market Chipping. Even if I did travel here before, I wasn't exactly paying attention to the landscape. " She fell silent as her gaze fell to her shoes and the ground below them.

He shook his head in disbelief. "And you wanted to take this journey alone. Seriously, Sophie, how you have made it for this long, I have no clue."

"Well, you did not seem too much better off by yourself, either, if I remember correctly," she jabbed back at him. "At least I didn't end up upside down in a bush as an enchanted scare-crow."

"Well you try being a top-heavy object hopping around on a wooden pole all day. It was a miracle that I did not get stuck in more greenery then I did. "

Sophie burst into laughter, not being able to stay mad at her bristling companion. She walked with a lighter step, the gravity of their journey somewhat lifted from her shoulders.

Leisurely, she let her mind wander as they walked on in silence, trying not to brood on what was to come and what she would ultimately have to accomplish. To all appearances, the task seemed impossible. Bringing someone from the dead was no easy endeavor, and from what Mrs. Suliman implied, would probably cost dearly. At the moment, Sophie didn't want to reflect on what must be done and the heartache that it would cause. Instead, she closed her eyes and envisioned her reward, the reason she would traverse hell and earth.

Her pace quickened, the overwhelming eagerness and anticipation wining over common sense and fatigue.

"Sophie!" Justin yelled after her, still at a walk. "Slow down."

She ignored his latest comment, choosing instead to race onward, her silver hair flowing behind her. She spun around on her heals to call after him, a wide smile plastered on her face.

"Come on, Slow Poke, or I'm leaving you behind."

She didn't even give him a change to respond as she spun around once more and broke out into a leisurely run. From behind her, she could hear a fleeting bark of complaint, followed by the pounding of steps as he broke into a run to keep from being left in the dust.

"If I did not know better, I would think that you were trying to get away from me," he commented between breaths, just a few feet behind her. "I was not aware that my company was so intolerable."

Sophie couldn't help but laugh as the world raced by her, blurs of green and brown that would blend together into one. The air was chilly, holding a whisper of something ahead; however none of this fazed her.

They were finally making progress, finally one step closer to their goal. They would make it, she was sure of it.

…….

A few hours later, Sophie was not so sure…

"Great. Just what we needed!"

A clap of thunder sounded overhead, still a distance off. Though the sky was more or less cloud-free, in the distance one could make out large, black storm clouds slowly making their way across the vacant landscape.

The same landscape that they would eventually have to traverse.

"A bit ominous, isn't it," Justin muttered softly, inclining his head towards the dark, ravenous clouds just a few lengths ahead.

"Quite fitting, really," Sophie replied staring off down the road ahead of them. She pushed herself off of the tree she had been resting against. "We should best get going before the rain makes travel impossible."

Justin gave her a quizzical stare. "But wouldn't it be best if we found shelter?"

She shrugged nonchalantly. "What shelter? Unless you see something that I am missing, this place seems pretty void of places to stay. No, the best option is to just keep moving forward."

A few unhappy murmurs were her only reply.

"Oh come on, it will not be too bad. It is only rain, after all. That is, unless Your Highness is afraid to get a little wet…" Sophie gave him a playful wink, gently elbowing him in his ribs.

They started onwards, each step taking them farther away from the sun's vibrant light and towards the darkness beyond. Neither said a word as they walked, the silence almost defining. Gradually, the blue skies above turned dark and menacing, the roar of thunder still a ways off, piercing through the oddly quiet landscape. The first drops of rain could be seen across the vacant landscape. The air heavily laced with the smell of rain.

One said raindrop was fortunate enough to collide with the top of Justin's head, causing him to slightly jump, a move that was not left unnoticed by his slightly snickering companion. In no time at all, the slight trickle of rain was clearly evident on the eerily calm landscape. It did not take long for the small sprinkle to turn into a full downpour and soon enough, the pair found themselves completely and utterly soaked. Spotting a nearby tree, Justin pulled Sophie towards its sheltering branches.

"What now?" Justin asked, shaking a bit of the moisture out of his clothes, "I can't even see the road anymore, the rain is so dense."

Sophie took the opportunity to wring out her shoulder-length hair, her mind calculating. When she had removed as much moisture as possible, she slowly looked out into the raging storm beyond. She sighed heavily. "We have no choice, we must move forward. There should be a town up ahead."

"But who knows how far until then…" He ran his fingers through his now drenched hair. "It'll be the death of us if we continue out there, wondering around aimlessly, hoping that we'd stumble on a wayward village."

"Then by all means, if you have any better idea, then please feel free to share it." She looked at him expectedly, her arms folded on her chest.

"Well, we could backtrack; see if there was a farm house a ways back that would take us in."

"You know as well as I that there hasn't been anything for _miles_. Again, we'd be stumbling around blindly. At least if we move onward we'd still be heading in the right direction."

There was a small pause. Then, Justin ran his hand through his hair once more, turning to look at the road ahead. "You have a point, it's only the sky is pretty dark over there. It feels like with every step, the weather deepens for the worse. I don't know how long we can trudge onward until we can go no further."

She closed the space between them, resting a hand on his soaked shoulder. "Come on, don't get all negative on me now. This is what you signed up for, right? Battling the elements, trudging forward without any clear indication of stopping, maybe saving us poor damsels from distress. You are not having second thoughts, are you?" Her eyes were large and doe-like as she stared up at him, a slight smile traced across her lips.

Justin's face split into a wide grin "Not for the world."

She shook her head in mock defeat. "Well, I tried. Let's get moving, then." She backed away from him turning to look over her shoulder before she reached the edge. "You don't by chance still have that umbrella with you, do you?"

His face turned quizzical. "No, I'm sorry."

"Figures." Sophie muttered under her breath as she stepped out into the raging storm, leaving her comments about a certain someone being more helpful before, even if he was top heavy, to be lost in the wind.

.......

Still, they trudged onward with hope of finding decent shelter until the storm passed.

However, the fates would not be so kind. With every step, it seemed as if the storm intensified with no hope of diminishing in sight. Soon, the heavy blanket of rain made visibility nearly impossible. The heavy gusts of wind were no help either, seeming to blow strait through to their very core. Yet, still they trudged onward, heads bent and damp clothes fixed to their shaking figures.

Just when they were about to give up, a light could be seen in the distance a striking beacon in the darkened madness around them.

Sophie could not believe her eyes. Was her mind playing tricks on her? A quick glance back at Justin told her that he could see the light as well.

With a new sense of purpose, the two continued towards the guiding light before them, desperately hoping they had found their refuge at last.

* * *

**Wow, it's been a while! I know there's no excuse for the long stretch of time, except that life got in the way and I haven't even had time to think lately. Not only that, but this chapter has not been too forgiving on the account of being lost repeatedly, accidentally deleted, and then saved on a computer that had to go in for service. It's been a true nightmare.**

**Well, hope to hear from you soon, and as always, thank you to anyone who is still reading (especially those who have stuck with me even after so long), as well as**

**K. Bears:** I'm glad you like Justin. You still may have to wait a little longer to see Markl, but just be patient. Not too long, I hope ;) **, MooMoo-Sama , Link Fangirl01, Whispering Lotus:** No worries about not finishing, though it may take me a while, I plan to see this fic through, **PurpleDragonFire:** Wow, I'm glad you enjoyed it., **Morgain Croix, sweetlolita1234:** you went though so much trouble just for my story? I don't know what to say, especially since I took so long to upload -_- **RedWingedAngel002, Gingergirl63,** and last but not least, **Cheeto-ScorpioDimagram**

**I hope to hear from you soon, then.**

**Signed, **

**OneRogueAngel**


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